InfraRed Capital Partners has secured two lettings at the St George’s Shopping Centre in Preston as it looks to build a 28,000 sq ft restaurant quarter.

The Botanist has signed up as an anchor tenant for the development’s largest unit, taking 10,000 sq ft on a 15-year lease. The brand, owned by Graphite Capital, is expanding and is set to open another site at Warrington’s Time Square later this year.

Indian street food operator Mowgli has also signed up for a 3,400 sq ft unit, again on a 15-year lease, and both of these will open in autumn 2020.

The development fronting Friargate includes another three leisure units. Earlier this year, InfraRed also secured a 26,000 sq ft anchor letting to Malatan within the 284,000 sq ft shopping centre.

Sovereign Centros is acting as asset manager for InfraRed, and was advised by Metis on both deals.

Keith Butcher, director of real estate at InfraRed Capital Partners said: “Creating a new restaurant quarter and attracting a major new anchor for the scheme were our two key priorities for St George’s.

“We couldn’t be happier to have secured such high-quality operators as The Botanist and Mowgli. Both have a very loyal following and will bring something new and exciting to Preston.”

If they can get St George’s to look remotely like the artist’s impression then hats off to them for improving this part of the centre. The corner unit has been a doomed site for years and will be good to see it with a long term tenant (touch wood). I can’t help but feel, however, that this is going to have an adverse impact on smaller independent bars and restaurants in the surrounding area i.e Friargate, Lune Street etc. Hopefully they will weather the storm.